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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
The Bahamas are full of underwater caves called blue holes. The caves are difficult and dangerous to explore, but scientists want to learn more about them. This is an aerial view of Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas. It's the deepest blue hole that we know of.
Learn more about Blue Holes and check out deep sinkholes called cenotes.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
A diver swims through a chamber in Dan's Cave called the Cascade Room. Dan's Cave is on Abaco Island.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
Using a turkey baster, a researcher collects red dust from an underwater cave.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
Bacteria turn the water red in a cave called Sawmill Sink on Abaco. The cave also has poisonous gas.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
Blue holes have almost no oxygen, which means bones can last for centuries. Here, an archaeologist lifts an ancient Indian skull from Sanctuary Blue Hole on Andros Island.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
This inch-long shrimp has no color on the outside of its body. The spot of color in its middle is part of its digestive system.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
This Cuban crocodile skull is more than 3,000 years old. These animals don't live in the Bahamas anymore.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
A diver swims along a rope called a guideline in Dan's Cave. Researchers have to be careful not to touch any of the delicate mineral formations in the cave.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
Explorer Kenny Broad squeezes through a tight space in a cave called Garbage Hole on Grand Bahama Island.
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Photograph by Wes Skiles, National Geographic
Divers come up to the surface of Sawmill Sink at sunset. "It's an alien world down there," explorer Kenny Broad says.
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